Manicure Monday Week 8

I know it's Tuesday, but I didn't want to wait a week to post this... and I didn't want to think of some crappy Tuesday alliteration. (Although it was almost "Tips Tuesday", could be deceiving.) This week I didn't paint my nails much, in fact, I've painted them a lot less lately. I think it could be due to my nail polish lasting a surprisingly long time, which I definitely won't complain about. Since the nail polish has been a bit sparse, I thought instead I'd post my manicure routine. This isn't my full on, sit down for an hour mani, but the regular steps I take to paint my nails.

 Here are the products I typically use. I don't use these items each and every time, this is just to give you a general idea.

 To begin I soak a cotton pad with regular nail polish remover. I've tried acetone-free, but find it takes about 10 minutes longer to remove your nail polish and I'm pretty impatient. This nail polish remover is just the normal type from Quo, but I've poured it into a bottle from Joe Fresh that has the easy pump to soak the cotton pad.

 Generally, I hold the cotton pad onto my nail for a few seconds before wiping away. This helps to stop scrubbing at your nails (glitter polish being an exception) and means you can watch Netflix at the same time without being too disruptive.

 Next I trim my nails. These nail scissors are from Shopper's Drug Mart's brand, Quo. They're just regular stainless steel scissors that I find work fairly well. I don't actually cut my nails often, I'm more likely to just shape with a nail file... which brings me to my next step.

 Filing my nails is one of my least favourite parts about a manicure. Although this Bath & Body Works nail file is cute, filing just isn't something I love. I don't file all in one direction or anything special, I just file enough to shape my nails. I prefer a more squared off look, as opposed to a rounded shape.

 Next I apply a base coat. Base coats are important for increasing the longevity of your nail polish, while also providing a smooth base for the colour to adhere to. This is Essie's "Grow Stronger" base, which has a pinky colour (that doesn't show, it just gets rid of yellowness and stains on nails) and dries relatively quickly.

 I chose Essie's "Sole Mate" for the manicure itself, since I couldn't photograph how I actually paint my nails I thought I should say there isn't a particular method I use. I try to leave a bit of a gap at the base of my nail (something I don't always succeed at) and go from there. 2 coats of polish usually does the trick, then I'm good to go.

 And then I use Essie's "Good to Go" topcoat. It's a quick drying formula that gives a shiny look to the nails. I've bought this about three times, just to show how much I like it. It helps your nail polish look nicer for longer and prevents chipping, while also drying your nails quickly so that you don't smudge them before they're dry.

Finally I use Soap & Glory's Hand Food, the best hand cream I've ever used. I have a large bottle, and this is my second small tube. It soaks in quickly, doesn't leave your hands feeling greasy, moisturizes and smells incredible!

That's my manicure routine, I hope you like it! Let me know any of your own mani tips in the comments or on Twitter, I'd love to hear product recommendations or suggestions!